Photos: Fresh apple juice, pressed right here in Alaska

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John Cotenas grinds the apples to then add to the press for juicing on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015. Ira Edwards and friends pressed over 85 gallons of juice or just about twenty-five bushels. Many of the heirloom apples were cultivated from apple trees former Anchorage Mayor James Delaney brought to Alaska from the Midwest in the 1920s.

Ira Edwards starting pressing juice on a friend's farm in Palmer in the late 1980s and took up the practice again as an adult in 1998. Edwards built his first press in 2000 and christened a new press this year nicknamed "Little Johnny." Along with friends, Edwards pressed 340 gallons this year on his new press with one more pressing to go. Most of Edwards' heirloom variety apples were cultivated from apple trees descended from trees former Anchorage Mayor Delaney brought to Alaska from the Midwest in the 1920s, as well as trees from other early Alaska residents.

Edwards also has a Red Dutchess, a State Fair, a Sweet 16 and two Wealthy apple trees. He occasionally picks Norland and Parkland apples. Edwards also picks from a friend's Yellow Transparent tree, which he says "is the best in my opinion for applesauce."

According to Edwards, "I started fermenting cider in 1999 and won second place in the nation in homemade hard cider one year. They thought I was from Arkansas, as there was no way i could grow apples in Alaska." Edwards doesn't enter contests often because of the amount of work it takes, but he does like to judge. "This way I can help others get better," says Edwards.

Read more: The fruits of a life well lived